This invention relates generally to tape cassettes of the type commonly employed to store audio, video or computer data information on magnetic tape for playback on an appropriate playback apparatus. More specifically, this invention relates to such a tape cassette that is capable of being collapsed to reduce the thickness of the cassette for mailing purposes.
Audio and/or video playback machines have become so common that most U.S. households now have at least one of those devices. Worldwide, the number of household cassette playback machines reaches into the millions. Thus, the potential is tremendous for companies who wish to reach these consumers through tape cassette advertising, whether it be by direct mailings, point of purchase displays or the printed media. However, the use of tape cassettes for advertising purposes is presently limited by the cost of packaging and mailing the rigid, bulky tape cassettes that are currently available.
It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide a magnetic tape cassette having a collapsible housing to reduce the thickness of the cassette, thereby minimizing mailing and storage costs.
This and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiment of the present invention by providing a housing with collapsible front, rear, and side walls that permit the housing to be presented in a collapsed, essentially flat form for storage, packaging, and mailing purposes and that also permit the user to later expand the housing to an erect form for playback purposes. A loop of magnetic tape is stored and guided within the cassette housing in a horizontal or flat position and is guided to the vertical position as it exits the cassette housing during playback so that the information stored thereon may be read by a conventional playback machine.